🌱 Hillsborough County Landlord Complaints Pile Up + Zen Noodle Bar

Good morning, Tampa! I'm here in your inbox per usual to get you caught up on everything you need to know about what's going on around town, including news about:

• A local resident is speaking out after living in filthy living conditions at an apartment complex.
• ZEN Noodle Bar is opening near the University area on Jan. 11.
• Tampa Councilman Joe Citro is facing wage garnishment from Bank of America at taxpayers' expense after an unpaid business loan.

But first, today's weather:

Times of clouds and sun. High: 71 Low: 44.

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Here are the top stories in Tampa today:

1. A Tampa resident at Laurel Chase Apartments is suffering from repeated problems at their rental, including sewage in their home among other problems. Efforts to mitigate the situation have been unsuccessful. Hillsborough County Code Enforcement Board has heard the pleas from the resident and is cracking down on the landlord who has a repeated history of violations with the county. (ABC Action News)
2. ZEN Noodle Bar is opening at 8787 North 56th South near the University area on Wednesday, Jan. 11. The concept is already quite popular in Gainesville as a healthy Asian food concept. (That's So Tampa)
3. Tampa Councilman Joe Citro had his wages garnished after records showed he owed $20,035 to Bank of America for a hairdresser business that was not paid back. City of Tampa is named as a garnishee in the case and public taxpayer funds are now being used to pay the debt of Citro to Bank of America. (Creative Loafing Tampa)
4. City of Tampa Mayor Jane Castor raised $117,550 in December 2022, according to a new report in Florida Politics citing her campaign. Castor is running for re-election this March and has yet to pick up a matching challenger. As of Dec. 31, Castor had $222,687 available, according to records available. (Florida Politics)
5. A Hillsborough man was sentenced to 30 years in prison after committing multiple crimes, including human trafficking, during the 2021 NFL Super Bowl in Tampa. The accused man is also sentenced to 10 years of sex offender probation upon release in the future. The man was part of "Operation Game Over," where law enforcement cracked down on criminals during the Super Bowl. (Subscription: Tampa Bay Times)

Today in Tampa:

• Paws For Literacy at Humane Society Of Tampa Bay. (2:45 p.m.)
• School Board Meeting at Hillsborough County Schools. (4 p.m.)
• The Reception 2023 - An Interactive Expo To Visualize Your Wedding at Armature Works. (5 p.m.)
• Tampa Bay Lightning Ball Hockey Clinic at Brandon Park. (5:30 p.m.)
• OE Book Club | January | "The Princess Bride" at Oxford Exchange. (6:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers shared: "Our 2023 opponents are locked in. 📰: bccn.rs/3k0fCGx" (Tampa Bay Buccaneers via Facebook)
• Busch Gardens Tampa Bay shared: "Give your little ones a whole world of wildlife and wild rides with free unlimited admission to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay all year, including our fun family events." (Busch Gardens Tampa Bay via Facebook)
• South Tampa Chamber shared: "👏 Our 9th Annual Breakfast with the Mayor is Wednesday, Jan. 11! Thank you to our supporting sponsor, Marina Pointe." (South Tampa Chamber via Facebook)

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You're officially in the loop for today. See you all tomorrow morning for another update!

— Carlos Hernandez

About me: Hello my name is Carlos Hernandez and I am a food writer with over 10 years of experience in the industry. I write the food blog Carlos Eats (http://www.carloseats.com) and also contribute to several newspapers and magazines with food-related blogs and articles.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Tampa Daily? Contact me at SouthTampa@Patch.com